The invention relates to apparatus for securing and leak proofing the spout or fluid fitting of a bag installed into a bag-supporting container.
The food industry regularly stores of large volumes of liquid in plastic bags. The bags are not self-supporting and must be stored in structural containers.
The configuration of the bag is standard in the industry, such as supplied by Shieldpak of Munro, La., USA and comprises the enclosing bag itself having a rigid plastic outlet or fluid fitting secured to an orifice formed in the bag. The size of the storage containers and placement of the outlet port are designed to be complementary to match the bag and the fluid fitting.
More specifically, the fluid fitting comprises a substantially cylindrical tube having a threaded internal bore and a shaped exterior. The shaped exterior is regular and polygonal so that it can be braced against rotation. Accordingly, threaded output devices, such as a valve, may be threaded into the bore while means engage the exterior of the fluid fitting for holding it against rotation. Typically, the shaped exterior comprises abutments which form a rectangular cross-section.
First and second flanges are spaced axially along the axial portion of the fluid fitting, straddling the rectangular cross-section. The first flange is connected to the bag and is typically larger than the second flange, spaced axially outwards from the bag. The annular space between the flanges forms a locking area which is engaged by an appropriate complementary apparatus to temporarily restrict axial movement.
Several prior art containers are known as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. As shown in FIG. 1a, it is known to use a 3.5xc3x973.5 foot square multi-ply corrugated cardboard box A to provide the structure for holding a large plastic bag (not shown). The box A has an outlet port B adjacent its bottom for accepting the bag""s fluid fitting (not shown). The bag is placed into the interior of the box and the fluid fitting is inserted through the orifice B for access to the fitting from outside the container A. For restricting movement of the fitting once installed to the box, the cardboard container""s orifice includes a rudimentary locking device C comprises an innermost corrugated cardboard layer hinged to form a locking flap D. When the flap D is pivoted open, the entire orifice B is available for insertion of the fluid fitting. When the flap D is pivoted closed it encroaches upon the orifice B, engaging the locking area of the fluid fitting and thereby resisting removal thereof.
The walls of the corrugated cardboard containers are formed of about eight layers of cardboard. It is the applicant""s observations that:
They are expensive, considering the cardboard containers are meant to be disposable;
they are subject to liquid (such as rain) damage;
the cardboard flap does not restrain the fluid fitting against torque (such as when installing a threaded valve); and
should a bag rupture there is no containment of the spilled liquid.
As shown in prior art FIG. 1b, others have sought to rectify some of the difficulties associated with cardboard containers by utilizing a plastic receptacle or container A. The known plastic containers are conventionally designed, but specific detail must be addressed in handling the fluid fitting orifice B. It is known to form an oversized orifice E in the lower portion of the container A for installation of a locking apparatus D. The locking apparatus D comprises a flange plate F installed to the oversize orifice E. The plate E has the fluid fitting orifice B formed therein through which the bag""s fluid fitting is installed. A knife gate H, like a large upside-down xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d, is vertically slidable for alternately engaging and disengaging the locking area of the fluid fitting.
The plate F is secured to the container with a plurality of bolts J. The sliding knife H is secured to the plate F with bolts J. Each bolt J protrudes into the bag containment volume of the container A. Further, each bolt J is radially spaced from the fitting orifice B so as to be unfortunately position the innermost end of the bolt to contact the bag itself and create a potential source of bag puncture.
For the known plastic container A described above, should a bag rupture, there is no containment of the released liquid. Liquid can flow out of the fitting orifice B and past the knife gate H.
There is therefore a demonstrated need for a container which has a simple means for securing the fitting, which does not threatening the bag""s integrity, and which includes means for providing a tight storage container upon demand.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a locking apparatus is provided for mounting to a wall or inside a bag-supporting container. The locking apparatus comprises a diaphragm mounted over a port formed the container wall adjacent its bottom. The diaphragm has an opening formed therein. Two or more cuts extend radially from the opening to form radial flaps. The tubular fitting of a fluid-storage bag has axially spaced flanges forming an annular locking area. The outermost flange is larger than the diaphragm opening and when forcibly pushed through the diaphragm opening it deflects the flaps. Once the outermost flange passes axially through the flaps, the flaps snap back flexibly and engage the fittings locking area, resisting removal. Preferably, both the locking area""s tubular perimeter is polygonal and the diaphragms opening is also correspondingly sized, the engagement of which further resists relative rotation.
In a broad aspect then, apparatus is provided for locking a bag fitting to a wall structure, the fitting having a tubular perimeter and first and second axially spaced flanges, the apparatus comprising:
a flexible diaphragm positioned over a port in the wall structure, the diaphragm having a periphery which extends radially beyond the port, an opening having radial dimensions smaller than the radial dimension of the second flange, and two or more cuts extending radially from the opening for forming two or more radial flaps so that when the fitting""s second flange is pressed forcibly against the flaps, the flaps flexibly deflect out of the plane of the diaphragm so as to permit passage of the second flange therethrough, the flaps then snapping back flexibly to engage the tubing""s perimeter in the fitting""s locking area; and
fasteners for mounting the diaphragm""s periphery to the wall structure so that the diaphragm and fitting are locked together and locked relative to the wall structure.
Preferably, the diaphragm opening and tubing perimeter have complementary polygonal profiles for resisting relative rotation. More preferably, the polygonal opening is slightly smaller than the locking area""s polygonal profile so that the flaps remain slightly deflected when engaged, providing stronger resistance to axial removal.
Even more preferably, a plug is provided for the port outside of the wall which, when installed, seals any fluid within the walled enclosure.